De Montfort University in Leicester is launching a week-long programme of hands-on events designed to give students a chance to get to grips with the practical aspects of cyber security.
Beginning this Saturday, #DMUCyberWeek will include challenges, workshops and talks lead by some of the security industry's top minds, such as researchers from Check Point, BT, Deloitte and Airbus.
"We are fortunate in the Cyber Technology Institute to have such excellent relationships with industry," said the head of DMU's school of computer science and informatics, Professor Helge Janicke.
"#DMUCyberWeek represents an important knowledge exchange opportunity - our students have the chance to meet potential employers and our partners get to meet the future talent of their industry."
One of the sessions involves a digital forensics challenge that has been featured at Las Vegas' infamous Defcon security show and is co-hosted by former DMU alumnus Molly Betts, who is now part of Airbus' cyber forensics division, following a placement with the company as part of her studies.
The programme will also play host to the official start of Cyber Security Challenge UK's 2018 schedule. The government-endorsed initiative hosts an annual series of competitions designed to encourage engagement with and participation in the security community among students.
#DMUCyberWeek will host the initiative's first Capture the Flag event, which is part of the qualifying rounds to earn a place in the final Masterclass round. Teams of students must work together to solve a variety of security problems and earn points.
"I love taking part in anything run by Cyber Security Challenge UK," said Chris Hatton, second-year DMU computer security student and secretary of the university's cyber security society, DMU Hackers. "It's a great way to get experience and I'm keen to encourage other DMU Hackers to join in."
"Competitions like these are great for three reasons - they're really fun, they're the best way to learn and they're perfect for networking and getting your name out there if you want to get into cyber security. #DMUCyberWeek is definitely one of the best weeks at DMU. You just don't get another chance like it to hear from and speak to so many industry experts."
Getting more students and young people into the world of cyber security is one of the industry's top priorities, as reports have indicated that a looming skills gap could be set to leave organisations dangerously lacking in talented security personnel.
